The Return of Lord Shen
by LokiLaufeyson909
Summary: Po and his friends thought that Shen was gone for good but they are in for their biggest surprise yet. This is how the most feared peacock in all of China was able to change his fate and learn that not all things in life should be destroyed. With a little help from a certain panda, can Shen finally redeem himself or will his vengeful ways leave a permanent mark on the world?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda

 **Hi readers! First off, I'll just say that this is my first kung fu panda fanfic so I hope that you like it. Secondly, I know that I'm not the best writer. I tend to go with a lot of description instead of dialogue so I hope you don't mind. Finally, I hope that you enjoy my fanfic. I love Lord Shen and I was inspired to write this based on many other Shen-Po friendship fanfictions I read. I especially want to thank Synchronized Harmony for giving me this idea. If you Shen lovers like this type of fanfic, go check Synchronized Harmony out. There are some pretty cool stories. So, please be kind and review.**

…

A loud explosion shook the grounds of Gongmen City, seemingly ending the life of Lord Shen for good. As the rubble began to clear, everyone peeked their heads over the bridges and wall to see what was left of the boat that carried insane peacock. He was nowhere to be found.

"Po!" a female tigress called out. "Po!" A sudden noise in water followed by a huge splash making the tiger smile with joy and the crowd cheer with excitement. Tigress reached out with her paw to the panda. Po smiled in return and was heaved out of the water. "I'm glad your ok," Tigress whispered quietly to him. To her shock, Po grabbed her into a hug.

"Po!" came the voices of Mantis, Monkey and Crane. Letting go of Tigress and brushing off his fur, Po was greeted by his friends leaping onto him. "Whoa! Hey guys," Po said, gently pushing them off. "Congratulations Panda," a voice addressed Po. Po turned to face the voice and met the beaming face of Master Shifu. "It seems you mastered inner peace, and at a young age," Shifu told him with a hint of jealousy. Po's smile widened as he scooped the red panda up into his arms only to find that the little animal had slipped away. Po glanced at him and the friends gazed up at the sky, which was illuminated with fireworks from Shen's sunken ship.

…

It had taken a few hours to clear out all of Shen's destroyed ships in the channel as well as the broken bridge. Po was surprised that many citizens pitched in to help out. But soon, it was almost as good as new. When all the buzz had finally died, Po sat down on the dock that looked out into the harbor, thinking about his parents and Shen. He knew that he could either hold on to his anger, like the peacock did, or he could forgive him. Po ultimately knew that in his heart, he could forgive Shen. Despite what he had done, Po wouldn't have been the person he was now if Shen hadn't destroyed his home. Shifu, Masters Storming Ox and Croc and the Five were all deciding what to do with Shen's fallen palace and the surviving wolves. As Po gazed out, he noticed a small object floating out in the distance. This didn't look like a ship so Po decided to investigate.

Shaking out his arms and legs, Po leapt into the freezing water, swimming with all his might. As he reached the object, he began to see that it was not a thing but a person and not just anybody. "Shen!" Po gasped, nearly swallowing water. Shen's body was a mess; his snowy white feathers were burnt and an ash gray color from the explosion and he had a giant bruise on his head. His right leg was also twisted in an unusual shape. Fear crowded his mind. What should he do? But seeing the peacock's broken body, Po felt a pang of pity and before he knew what he was doing, he began dragging the bird to shore. Everyone deserved a second chance, even Shen. Pulling his body off the wood, Po preceded to swim back to shore. _"I must be out of my mind,"_ he thought.

Taking Shen to shore was harder then it looked for he was so heavy. Po did not see this coming. Using the last of his strength, Po hauled Shen's body onto the bank. Panting, he pressed his ear to the peacock's chest; to his relief and horror, Shen was alive.

"Po!" Shifu cried out. Po froze; he knew how much trouble he was in now. "There you are! We've been looking for you. It is time to leave are you almost rea-". Shifu froze mid-sentence at seeing the panda's wet body alongside Shen's. "What did you do!?" Shifu demanded, his ears flattened with anger. "Never mind! I'm getting Master Ox." Po watched as the red panda sped away. Fortunately, he left just before Shen woke up.

…

Blinking open his eyes, Shen began to cough, his body shaking from the frigid water. His vision slowly focused on a fat, black and white body of fur. The panda he realized with horror. "Good, you're awake," Po said cheerily. "I didn't ask for you to save me!" Shen spat scornfully but weakly. "I can take care of myself and I certainly don't need help from _you_ ," he added, addressing Po as if he was like dirt in his mouth. "Well I couldn't leave you out there to drown. I'm the Dragon Warrior! Saving people is what I do." _"Is this panda deaf!?"_ Shen thought. "I already told you! I don't need your sympathy." "Shen-" Po began before being cut off. "That's _Lord_ Shen to you!" Shen seethed. Po backed away, sadness filling his soul. Here was this incredibly talented, smart, handsome bird that had so much potential, yet he never once used it for good. All Shen did was try and destroy Po, his friends and Kung Fu. There was so much rage in him that Po couldn't help but feel sad. He often pondered on why the peacock carried such an emotional burden.

Every time Po encountered Shen, he noticed that besides a cruel smile or laugh, the bird was never happy, always angry and in some sort of pain. He could see it when Shen told him that his parents didn't love him. Po figured that Shen only told him this because he himself felt that pain, an unwanted child. Po also saw it when he was talking to Shen before the explosion. Shen was clearly affected when Po had found his inner peace. He interpreted this as a sign that all through his life Shen had been hurt in someway that prevented him from finding peace. This would explain why he tried to keep peace from others as well; he couldn't be happy, than nobody can.

Just as Po was about to ask Shen why he acted the way he did, he was interrupted by a war cry. Master Ox barged into the scene, brandishing an axe. "Whoa there. You might want to uh, put the axe down," Po said sheepishly. Ox ignored him as he hauled Shen to his feet, the peacock breathing heavily with rage. But as soon he put wait down on his right leg, it buckled and Shen staggered to the ground. "I can't walk you buffoon!" he hissed. "Very well," Ox said, simply opting to carry a screaming Shen. "Where are we going!?" Shen demanded. "I'm taking you to Chorh-Gom prison where you'll wait for judgment!" With that sentence, Ox was off, leaving Shifu with Po.

"Po. I'm very disappointed with you. You know how dangerous Lord Shen is but you didn't tell me when you found him." Po hung his head in shame. "I was trying to help him," he started. "Now that we know he's alive, there's no telling what the council will decide," Shifu explained. "If I were them, I'd put Shen to death but knowing the council, they'll probably pick a more painful punishment." "But Shifu!" "Panda," Shifu said more calmly, "I understand that you feel sorry for him but I want to make sure that nobody suffers at his hands again. I'll try and reason a fairer punishment. If that makes you happy." Po nodded as he got ready to depart.

…

Shen absolutely hated being carried my Ox, especially to prison. "Let me go!" he screeched. "Be my guest however your leg isn't fully healed so have fun," Ox said. Ox had done the courtesies of bandaging up Shen's broken leg and it healed quick enough to limp on. After what had seemed like days of traveling through the harsh environment of the mountains, Ox and Shen had finally reached Chorh-Gom. "Welcome to your new home," Ox said while dropping Shen to the ground. "I hope you find it comfortable." "Why you, insolent fool!" Shen told him, anger dripping in every part of his voice. His right leg had semi-healed so Shen was able to limp with pain to the door. A gust of wind ruffled his feathers as two rhinos led him inside. Ox watched as Shen disappeared behind the doors. With one last glance, he bounded away, for he knew that the council would be meeting about Shen's ultimate fate. He secretly hoped-for execution but he knew better.

…

As the two-iron door closed behind him, Shen gulped and turned to face the guards. He knew that this would be his permanent home if his life should be spared. Commander Vachir, the head rhino and leader of the prison, strode forward. "Ah, Lord Shen of Gongmen City. I've heard many things about you. What brings you to our little prison," he addressed with a snicker. "Is it true what they say? You committed genocide of pandas and was banished but returned to enact revenge?" Shen merely said nothing but raised his face and stared at the rhino, rage filling his face. "Well if that's a case, then it's a good thing I brought this." Vachir raised a metal color and chains and cruelly smiled.

Shen tried to step back was stumbled due to his leg and was instead roughly shoved forward by the two rhinos that had escorted in. _"This isn't happening!"_ Shen told himself. Vachir grabbed him by his neck and strapped the collar on it. Shen felt mortified; he was lord and now he was being chained like a dog. "Cozy?" the rhino said with a smirk. "I've had better," Shen growled as his wings were tightly forced into a pair of metal cuffs. The cuffs dug into his feathers, rubbing against his skin irritably.

"Just one more little thing we must do," Vachir told him, "then you will be transported to your cell!"

"I can't wait," Shen said, his voice full of sarcasm.

"You have an amazing train of feathers. I wonder how many times have you used it to escape?"

Shen gasped. Not his train! Those feathers, despite being the wrong color, were his pride and joy. "You touch me and I'll have you killed on the spot!" he threatened. "Hah! What are you going to do? Sweep me off my feet?" Vachir mocked, pulling out his axe. Vachir regrettably had left Tai Lung's tail unrestrained when he was a prisoner here. This act had almost cost him his life since the tail had secretly picked the lock using a stray feather. The mistake had shamed the leader of Chorh-Gom prison and Vachir vowed to never do it again.

The two rhinos grabbed Shen and held him tight in their grip as Vachir walked behind him. Shen felt his feathers being touched which caused him to breath rapidly in anger. A swoosh was heard and Shen's feather train was no more. Of course, it would grow back eventually. "Take him away," Vachir ordered as he watched a screaming Shen being dragged into the darkness of the prison, his cries echoing through the walls.

…

 **Whew! I made it. Next chapter we might discover Shen's fate. I obviously won't kill him because that would make a boring story but I'm not going to make it all happy either. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I don't own Kung Fu Panda

 **I honestly never thought that this chapter would come but here it is. Also, thank you for my first two reviews on the first chapter. Gave me some motivation to work on this. I hope you enjoy it!**

…

Po tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It had been several days since he'd returned from Gongmen City yet he couldn't stop thinking about Shen. He pitied the bird and yearned to ask Shen why he felt the need to cause suffering to others. Po still could see the peacock's angry, pain filled face and wouldn't forget it, not until he'd learned the truth because those eyes, full of emotion, deeply unsettled him.

His friends had asked him to quiet down, especially Shifu, who was meeting with the Kung Fu Council from Gongmen City. Po heard them from his room and naturally, he wanted to listen but Shifu strictly told him to not leave his room. The masters were all arguing about what to do with Shen. Master Storming Ox wanted to put the miserable bird out of his misery while Shifu thought that Shen should be spared and live the rest of his life in Chorh-Gom. Despite originally wanting to kill Shen, Shifu realized that killing him would hurt his honor. _"No one deserves to die,"_ he thought, _"not even Shen, but he will pay for his crimes."_ Meanwhile, Master Croc was torn. He knew killing was wrong but the peacock had committed unspeakable acts against humanity.

Finally, his curiosity getting the better him, Po climbed out of his bed and snuck out to where he masters were having their meeting. The thoughts about Shen hadn't left his head. He remembered seeing the bird's body lying there, the anger that Shen had exhibited, but most importantly, the pain in his eyes. Po was determined to help him somehow. He wandered through the Jade Palace until he came across the main hall, where voices were heard. Quietly, Po peeked in only to see Ox and Shifu screaming at each other while Croc hung back, trying to not get involved. If he was, he wasn't doing a good job of trying to get attention.

"I don't care what you say! That monster killed Master Thundering Rhino! He deserves death!" Ox shouted.

"Then that would make us no better than he is!" Shifu fought back, his eyes blazing with anger.

"You are making a terrible mistake! If you let Shen go then you're shaming you and your values if he escapes!" Ox seethed.

"At least I won't be an accomplice to murder!"

"It's not murder! It's justice!"

"Revenge isn't justice and you know it!"

"Stop it right now!" Croc roared, "or I'll see to it that both of you will be punished!"

Both Ox and Shifu stopped and looked at each other. "I'll stop if he changes his mind!" Shifu told him. "Only he if changes his first!" Ox replied. Po, trying to get a better angle of the argument, stumbled and fell to the ground with a big thump. The three masters suddenly jumped and turned. "Po!" Shifu exclaimed. "What are you doing here!?" Po got up and fiddled with his fingers. "I was uh, sleep walking! And I accidently wandered here," Po said quickly, his voice growing quieter with fear. "Uh huh," Shifu replied, clearly not convinced. "Why are you really out here?" Po couldn't hold it in any longer. "Ok! I was thinking about Shen and I overheard you and I-". "Panda!" Shifu said with anger. "You are not to go looking for Shen and I forbid you to mention him to me! That is final! This is between me and the council for now. Do you understand!?" "Yes master," Po replied, bowing before running off. "Now, where were we?" Shifu asked, returning his attention to Ox and Croc.

As for Po, as soon as he was out of Shifu's range, a devious smile creeping on his face. While he didn't understand why not talking about Shen was essential, he did know that he wanted to see him. Po quickly ran to find an alternate route. While he explored, he came across a secret back entrance that had been hidden for years. Rubbing his hands with happiness, Po quietly slipped through and began his journey to Chorh-Gom prison; he had to know how Shen was. Po figured that if he could reason or even help the peacock understand the error in his ways, then maybe Shen would leave him alone and find inner peace with himself and his past. Looking at him at that dock, all Po could see was a lost soul, someone who had lost their way and was never found. The panda sighed. He knew that there was a reason why Shen acted the way he did and all could think about was how to pull the peacock out of the dark hole he'd created for himself. Po understood that what he was about to do, there would be no turning back from. He, the Dragon Warrior, would go save Lord Shen, the disgraced peacock who nearly killed him all those years ago.

…

Po had clearly underestimated the distance between the Jade Palace and Chorh-Gom as he made his way to the prison. After a day's travel, he already doubled over with exhaustion twice. He also wished he'd pack a couple snacks for the ride. However, Po couldn't stop moving so, with all his cramps from running, he pulled through. He realized that no one besides Shifu knew where he was going and how angry everyone would be with him when he returned. Po didn't even tell his dad, Mr. Ping. Shifu's angry face scared him most of all but he had to do this. Otherwise, Po would never forget about Shen. Po also knew that Shifu was right on his tail. He wouldn't let go that easily. At last, he made it. The giant doors of Chorh-Gom stared at him, taunting him even as if to ask why someone as honorable as him would dare set foot in a place made to house the worst of the worst. Po remembered hearing stories about how before he was the dragon warrior, the prison was specifically made to hold one prisoner and one only: Tai Lung. It shocked him that all those guards and defenses hired to guard one person were all defeated. It was not the structure that scared him but the stories he'd been told about it. Po thought of the time when Monkey was describing it; dark, dank, and empty.

The two rhinos watching the door were sound asleep so Po simply slipped through the door. He was ready to face Shen. Fear clotted his mind. The prison was just like how Monkey described it. It was almost pitch black, the only light emitted from torches, a strong, musty odor filled his nostrils but the worst part was how big the interior was. Chorh-Gom prison was huge, like a vast cave with echoing walls. There was no telling what layed ahead.

A gruff, loud laugh echoed through the halls. "Ah, the dragon warrior. What brings you to our little prison?". Po whipped around to find the voice who'd spoken to him and came face to face with Commander Vachir. "I wanted to see one of your prisoners. Shifu sent me!" Po quickly said. He was terrified of the giant rhino with his strong build and large horn. Po once overheard someone saying that Vachir was known for is cruel ways. Seeing an axe's blade on his back didn't help the matter. "Shifu sent you," Vachir commented, "I got no notice." Po gulped but held his ground. "It was short notice." "Very well, you are the dragon warrior after all. Who is the lucky prisoner?" "Shen, the peacock," Po answered timidly. "Follow me," Vachir replied, leading Po down the dark hallways.

" _Shifu sent me! Stupid! What was I thinking!?"_ Po thought angrily to himself has he walked. He could only imagine the punishment he'd receive when he got back to the Jade Palace.

The pair traveled down the dark caverns, deeper into the prison. Along the way, Po passed many cells holding many enemies from the past. In one cell, Po noticed Junjie, a cunning Kung Fu master who repeatedly tried to kick Po, Shifu and the Five out of the Jade Palace. Seeing the fox chained against the wall, only made Po think of Shen even more.

At last, in the deepest part of the prison, Vachir stopped walking in front of the last cell. "Here we are," he said proudly. "Um, thank you," Po managed. Being this far underground greatly bothered him. "Why is he all the way down here?" Po asked him. Vachir turned and smiled. "So, he never gets out!" he explained as reached for his keys. "This guy did some nasty things so we're taking extra precaution. Po nodded, his thoughts temporarily drifted back to Tai Lung's infamous escape. As the metal door creaked opened slowly, Po was met with a horrific is sight.

…

(A few days earlier)

Viper woke up, feeling the warm sun on her face. It was time to start another day in the Jade Palace. Since Lord Shen's incarceration, she noticed Po was acting differently; like someone with PTSD. He constantly looked troubled about Shen, always lost in thought and restless. Last night, all she heard were thumps and thuds from his sleepless slumber. Occasionally, she heard the angry voices of the masters talking with each other about Shen. Eventually, she heard Po's door open and after that, silence. For the rest of the night, Viper heard neither panda or angry voices. A coincidence she figured. Perhaps his turmoil had been satisfied.

Viper decided to wake him up gently. After all, a beautiful morning would be ruined if Shifu got mad at Po for sleeping in. Slithering on the wooden floors towards her friend's room, she noticed that the door was still open. Maybe he was too tired to close it she figured. Entering, she called out his name. "Po! Wake up sleepy head!" To her horror, he was nowhere to be found. He must have never come back since his bed sheets were all strewn around. She had to warn Shifu immediately. Who knows what sort of trouble Po had gotten himself into.

"Master! Master Shifu! Where are you?!"

"Good morning," he said, hearing her calls.

Viper saw him standing in the hallway where the Five and Po slept. "Thank goodness you're here. Po's missing."

"Impossible, I sent him back to bed."

"See for yourself!"

Shifu walked to Po's room and looked inside. "Panda!" he shouted in a fit rage.

The others rushed to the scene. "What's wrong Master?" Tigress asked calmly.

"See for yourself!" Shifu shouted at her, his eyes ears flat and eyes burning with rage.

As Tigress and the others went to see what Shifu meant, the red panda continued.

"I specifically told him to go back to his room and stay away from Shen! He's dangerous and I won't allow him to hurt one of my students. But Po couldn't control himself! When he returns, he better have an explanation for himself! Was I not clear?"

"Slow down," Crane said. "What happened?"

Shifu faced his students. "He overheard my conversation with the council so I sent him back to his room, telling him not to go look for Shen. He must have snuck out after he left! I must go after him. He could be killed or worse."

"Master," Tigress said gently. "Knowing Po, he'll be fine somehow. We just have to wait and see."

"Fine then," Shifu replied. "But this does not excuse his behavior! I'll see to it that a fitting punishment is proposed. In the meantime, I expect you to all train like a normal day while I speak with the council. Do I make myself super clear?!"

"Yes master!" the Five said in union.

"Good," Shifu answered. The vote turned out to be in Shifu's favor but with a twist. Croc suggested that rather Shen stay forever locked up, he'd come to the Jade Palace where he could be cared for as well as taught a few manners. Watching them leave, Shifu sighed deeply and prayed that Po would be safe from all harm. Worrying and doing nothing would do know good so Shifu called Zheng, his messenger to tell Vachir the plan. If Po was killed, then both the dragon warrior and Kung Fu would die.

…

 **I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter! I know that the ending is probably not that exciting or strong but I can't forget about Shifu and the Five. I'm also sorry that we don't get to see Shen. I was going for some build up so that the next chapter will be exciting. Reviews greatly appreciated and thank you all.**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I don't own KFP characters

 **So finally, I will get to Po/Shen. The first two chapters were more filler. I had school so sorry this came out a bit later then I planned. I hope that you enjoy. Reviews appreciated.**

…

Po creaked open the metal door where a horrific sight met his eyes; the chained, bloodied form of Shen. A single torch lit the area, making the peacock look like something out of a ghost story. Po heard the metal door shut behind him with a loud slam, nearly scraping his back. "Hey, what gives!?" he asked. "Precaution," came the lazy voice of Vachir. Po muttered something under his breath as he turned back to Shen.

The peacock lay on the ground, barely breathing or at least that's how Po saw it. A large collar was strapped around his neck that connected to the stone wall. Po cringed at the sight. It looked like it hurt, a lot. As he walked around, observing the bird, Po failed to see the iron chains on the floor and stumbled in to another wall. "Stupid walls," Po hissed. He turned where the chains were. They were around his ankles and bolted to the floor, near the wall that held the collar. Studying his feet, Po saw that Shen's metal talons had been taken, revealing a far ghastlier sight; the peacock's feet were baring large, angry burn scars. No wonder he hid them. " _The consequence for working with those fireworks of his,"_ Po thought sadly as he took note of all the other wounds. Shen's beak had a slight crack in it, like someone had punched him. His robe was torn and tattered in several areas while the chest was almost fully visible. Where the silk fabric used to be, a large, ugly burn was now nestled in its place. He also had many cuts and Po winced at all the places where his feathers were missing, replaced by bloodied patches of skin, staining his remaining feathers a crimson red. Glancing at his right leg, Po saw that the broken leg had healed better than he'd thought.

But the part that surprised Po the most was his missing train. How had he not noticed this. There was no pool of blood behind Shen so it was obvious that someone had cut it off, instead of pulling it out. Either way, Po wouldn't have enjoyed the feeling. He knew just how much Shen needed his tail; for combat, defense and above all, tormenting Po. The train was the peacock's pride and joy. This was enhanced by Shen's royal lineage and his large ego.

The emotions that ran through Po at the moment almost brought him to his knees. What did they do to him? It was so sad to see a person degraded to such a level where they were thrown away to be locked up without the key. Yes, Shen had done things of inexplicable evil, but Po still could see all the pain and suffering, buried under years of anger, denial and ambition. This burden that Po could sense from the bird was one the main reasons why he believed that Shen deserved a second chance; a chance to make wrong, right. He was about to give the peacock a gentle shake when he heard Shen make a soft groan.

…

Zheng flew through the cold mountain, the wind blowing hard against his body, nearly tossing him off course. His beak and the letter he carried by now had icicles hanging off them much to his annoyance. _"Why couldn't Shifu do this himself?!"_ he thought angrily as he began his descent. Hitting the cold ground hard, Zheng lost his balance and fell onto his back. "Stupid ice!" he muttered to himself. Grabbing the letter, which had fallen when he hit the ground, Zheng dusted the snow off his yellow robe and entered the prison. Nervously, he stepped forward, remembering the last time he was here Tai Lung had escaped. "Pardon me," he got the courage to ask a guard, "but where is Commander Vachir?" "Right this way!" the guard said with glee. Zheng gulped as he headed off into the darkness.

"Commander!" the guard addressed his boss, "I got a letter from Shifu for you!" The guard excitingly waved it out of Zheng's reach despite the little bird trying to grab it. "What?" Vachir asked, "and wipe that smirk off your face!" He snatched the letter from the grinning rhino's hand and opened, his eyes growing wider and wider. "What!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Not possible," he breathed, "but if Shifu wishes." The guard and Zheng stood there flabbergasted, as the Vachir proceeded to open the door.

…

Shen's eyes fluttered open slowly, their ruby orbs tried to focus but with a dizzy feeling in his head, he could only make out a fuzzy, black and white image. _"How strange,"_ he wondered. Pain was all around him. It always was but this was more intense than previous times. Allowing his eyes to stare at the ground, Shen heard a rattling sound ringing in his ears. As he tried to move his body of the ice cold, stone floor, the noise followed him. Concentrating hard enough, Shen's eyes strained to see a pair of shackles on his ankles. Finally snapping out of his drowsiness, he looked around his new surroundings. "Shen!" the black and white image called out to him. Turning to face the sound, Shen gasped with horror. The panda! He had to get out of here! Someone must have sent him here to kill him. Scrambling to feet as fast he could, Shen tried to raise his train as it was his natural instinct however, he had no train to sport. Completely humiliated by the loss of his feathers, Shen turned to run but felt a sharp tug on his neck and fell to the ground. Tears stinging in eyes and his the burn on his chest flaring in pain, Shen gasped for air, trying to comprehend what happened. Placing his wings onto his neck, Shen felt the collar and realized with horror that he was trapped, with the panda.

"Shen," Po said gently, "it's ok. I just want to help." "I don't want your help!" Shen spat, feeling humiliated to be seen like the way he was in front of his greatest enemy. "You're here to kill me. Don't play dumb." Po looked absolutely shocked. Did this peacock actually think he came all this way just so he could kill him? Po was about to open his mouth when a loud roar was heard from outside and the metal door was opened.

"Congratulations peacock," Vachir said with anger, "you are being released."

Shen smirked at Po and patiently waited to be unchained.

"What about me? I came all this way for nothing?" Po asked with confusion, while Shen continued to smile.

Vachir burst out laughing. "Panda," he said, wiping a tear from his eyes, "you're taking that revolting thing with you back to the Jade Palace."

Both Po and Shen gasped simultaneously.

Just as Shen was going to protest, the rhino guard unlocked him from his chains, scooped him up and threw him out into the snow when they reached the entrance, Po chasing after them.

"Have a nice day!" the guard called and shut the door, leaving the pair in the freezing cold.

"Well then," Po said, looking at the fallen bird. "Shall we get on with our journey?" Shen made no response but instead tried to rise to his feet. He refused to show such weakness. Po watched as the bird tried to get up. He just never gave up. The ice was slippery and Shen struggled to keep his balance. "Oh, here, let me help you," Po offered as he came to his rescue. As Po sprinted, he felt his legs come out from under him and he slid right into Shen with out control. The peacock naturally would've used his talons but without his metal ones, he had no way to hold one and soon found himself going tumbling down the mountain at an uncomfortably high speed, with the panda right on top of him.

…

After tumbling in what had seemed like eternity, the pair hit the bottom and landed in a snow bank. Shen of course, was beyond ok while Po sat up and rubbed his head. "Wow," he said laughing, "that was some crazy ride. I personally would never do that again. How about you Shen. Shen?" Po froze with horror, thinking that he lost and potentially killed the peacock. Shifu would never forgive him for that. "Shen!" Po called out. "Shen!?" A large moan told him that Shen wasn't dead, yet. Digging frantically through the snow, Po finally found the bird. He was cold to the touch which scared Po. Being a panda, Po was fluffy and fat so the he wasn't easily affected by the cold. Shen however, a peacock, was smaller and covered with feathers. To add to that list, he was also severely injured, making him even more vulnerable. Grabbing him, Po sprinted as fast he could, the mountainous region was reaching its end.

Shen woke to a big, fat body pressing against his. His body hurt like crazy and he was pretty sure that was he was going to die. "Let me go!" he screeched despite the pain but Po refused. Shen desperately tried to kick and claw is way out however Po simply held him tighter. "I demand you to release me!" he screamed again. "No Shen," Po told him. "If I leave you here then you will die." "Death would be better than this fate!"

Shen was waiting for this nightmare to end. Why can't someone just kill him? Hadn't he suffered enough? Now his worst enemy was going to take him to his home for what purpose? To teach him a lesson? He knew that fighting Po wouldn't work so he gave up and lay limply in the panda's arms. Po looked down at him, the bird's defeated state tugging at his heart strings.

At last, they were out of the snowy areas of the mountains. The cool breeze still present but not in a bad way. Finding a small cave, Po gently placed the bird down, smoothing out his feathers and making sure that he was comfortable. "Don't you dare touch me!" Shen hissed, batting Po's hands away from him. Po stepped back, his eyes locked with Shen's angry red ones. "I'm going to find some supplies for a fire," he said and walked off, his shoulders slumped. _"Must have hurt his feelings,"_ Shen thought before chasing it away. Since when did he care about a stupid panda? Though if Shen had to be honest, he was happy that Po had come to get him. Any more time in that prison and he would've gone mad. Realizing what he was thinking, Shen turned his head in disgust. No, he would wait until he was healed and then take China, then, he would be happy and free.

"Where would I get supplies for my cannons now?" he muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" came Po's friendly voice, a large bundle of wood in his arms.

"Oh, nothing," Shen replied before going back to his brooding.

…

 **Good news, Shen's road to redemption is slowly starting. I also found out that the bird Zheng, his name is actually spelled Zeng. Thank you for reading and I promise to update sooner. Also, if anyone has any ideas for villains, other than Shen, please feel free to let me know.**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Don't own KFP

 **Sorry this took longer than I expected. I had to study plus my fave character on Gotham may have been killed permanently so I was literally crying the whole night. Sorry to my claim that I would update faster but the following week will be really hectic so I'll try to write was much as I can. Thank you for reviews and enjoy!**

…

The fire crackling in front of him brought Shen back to reality. He had been lost in thought for a while now. Sneaking a glance at Po, he noticed the panda was staring back at him. A wave of awkwardness passed through Shen and he hid his face in his wing. A giggle from Po made him turn around in embarrassment. "Hey, Shen," Po said casually, "so um, maybe do you want me to take a look at your wounds later. They look rather painful." Shen turned to face him, a look of pure horror written across his face. How dare that panda suggest such a thing! "Don't worry about me," he responded, "they don't even hurt anymore and I certainly know how to take care of myself if they did!" "Oh, I'm sorry. I understand," Po replied, avoiding the peacock's fierce gaze.

Shen smirked at the deflation of the bear's confidence and once more turned away. A knot of guilt lay in his throat for he had been lying. His injuring, especially his chest, were flaring with pain. The cut and patches of missing feathers stung but nothing compared to his chest which felt like it was on fire which was ironic since it had literally burned. The burn was dark and was right in the center of his chest, clashing badly with his snow- white feathers and robe. He was mortified to appear the way he did but he knew that Po wouldn't really care despite Shen's superiority and perfection constantly craving attention from others, especially his enemies.

Po watched as the bird ignored him yet again. He was very determined to help and gain the trust of Shen. He knew that deep down, Shen was suffering and Po still could see it in his eyes. Despite Shen thinking that he hurt the panda again, Po secretly knew that Shen had been lying; it was obvious. The peacock had quickly turned him away, stating that he could take care of himself, which he hadn't demonstrated in the last few hours. Still watching Shen, Po began to wonder if he was doing the right thing by trying to help and guide Shen even though the peacock kept pushing away. _"Yes,"_ he decided. This was what other great, wise masters like Oogway would do.

Eventually, the pair settled down when the fire's last embers burned out; Shen demanded the back of the cave, to keep warm and safe he'd said while Po nestled down in a corner near the mouth of the cave. A strong mountain breeze caused Po to shiver and he unsuccessfully tried to keep cozy. Shen on the other hand, hardly felt it. He was already too disturbed by his own thoughts and current situation to worry about a simple breeze. Shen was drowning his in own pain; every physical or mental injury had led to another somehow. The breeze had chilled his burned feathers while soothing his many cuts and scratches. He knew that Po wanted to take care of him but the peacock absolutely refused. Never in his life would he ever allow his worst enemy to help him. That would show weakness, something that future leaders of the world would show. However, Po was the dragon warrior, he was obviously doing it to show how merciful and good he was. Well, Shen had news for him, sometimes you couldn't have everything you wanted.

…

Shen tried to let go of these thoughts and get some shut eye. His injuries were trying to keep him awake but sleep eventually won him over. He was exhausted from his escape from prison with Po and he certainly would never forget it; he had panda roll over him, how could something that traumatic leave the mind? As he dozed off, Shen opened his eyes to find himself in a world, glowing a shining golden color with jade green to accompany it. A small island surrounding a honey colored river lay ahead of him and in the middle of that island, a peach tree with baby pink petals adorning its branches, peaches sprouting from their blossoms. But to Shen's amazement, sitting on the island, was a very old, large tortoise. By now, Shen didn't even know if he was dreaming. This was an absolute paradise. A gentle wind blew some of the peach petals around, making them seem like they were dancing. Shen's gaze followed them as they swirled all around him and back to the tortoise. He turned as they swooped and sailed but soon noticed that his train had grown back. _"Yep. Definitely a dream,"_ Shen thought dully. Closing his eyes for a moment to take everything in, Shen opened them to find the tortoise at the bank, riding a small boat. Surprised, Shen leapt back, his train flaring but the tortoise seemed unfazed and simply blinked.

"Who are you!" Shen demanded angrily, "and why have you sent me here!"

"Ah," the tortoise said sadly confusing Shen, "so much anger, so little peace."

"What are you talking about old man?"

"Come with me and I'll explain what you need to know," the tortoise answered, holding out his hand. Shen pulled away but the tortoise's unnatural calmness frightened him so he dared not disobey.

"Can you at least tell me who you are?" Shen begged, his train lowered.

"Oh, silly me. I am Oogway," the tortoise replied. Shen smiled. This Oogway would learn a thing or two for crossing the path of Lord Shen! As the boat docked at the island, Oogway led the peacock over to the tree and invited him so sit down with him.

"So why am I here?" Shen asked, thinking about how to use Oogway in his plan to take China.

"You are lost, confused," Oogway told him gently, causing Shen to seethe. "Too much anger," the tortoise sighed. "You can achieve anything with inner peace."

"I am not lost!" Shen snapped, "I know my destiny!"

"Destiny, what a wonderful yet stubborn word. Do you really know your destiny Lord Shen?"

Shen was flabbergasted. How on earth could a tortoise, whom he just met, know anything about him? Seeing his face, Oogway replied, "I am an old friend of Po. I have witnessed your struggles from here as well. I believe that you two have more in common then you seem to think."

"Prove it!" Shen scoffed, his train rising.

"You will know when it's time," Oogway smiled. That did it. Shen reached up with his foot and tried to grab the tortoise's neck but Oogway ducked causing the peacock to stumble clumsily to the grassy ground.

"You tell me now or I'll kill you!" Shen threatened as he made a swipe with his tail.

"But I live here. This is the spirit realm. I thought that some place as peaceful as this would channel your inner peace."

"What inner peace old man!?"

Oogway shook his head sadly. Looking at Shen, he never realized just how much suffering the peacock carried. "What is that you want most in the world Shen," Oogway asked. "China," Shen said scornfully. "But is it that what you need?" "Enough with the questions!" Shen fumed. "What I want is what I need!"

"Both are very different. Look at this tree," Oogway replied, gesturing to the peach tree. Shen allowed his gaze to stare at the blossoming tree.

"What's the point of this?" Shen asked blandly.

"You see," Oogway said, "the tree may want to have the prettiest flowers or the sweetest fruit, the strongest branches or the sturdiest base but what it needs is nurture, love and time."

Shen gave him a confused expression. "What does a tree have to do with want and need!" "Shen, the tree may want to be the best but it can't get there without the right needs." "Meaning," Shen asked.

"The tree doesn't have to be the best to be happy but if it has what it needs, then it will still be happy, regardless of its future."

"Now how does that apply to me?"

"You want China but what you need is love and inner peace. You think that all of China will satisfy your unquenching thirst for happiness but I can assure you that with inner peace, you'll find all the love and joy you could ever possibly need all around you. The people you meet, the places you go, all bring inner peace."

Shen looked away. This was getting ridiculous. He knew what he needed! Taking China was what he needed. It would set things right and his parents would finally be pleased with him. The soothsayer tried telling him this before but he had rebuked her claim, stating that his parents hated him. "You look troubled," the old tortoise told him calmly. "What bothers you?" Shen ignored him and raised his train as a barrier between him and Oogway.

Shen continued to give him the silent treatment as Oogway reached out again. The bird was very unhappy and miserable and it didn't take a genius to figure that part out. Oogway sensed that there was a great emptiness inside the peacock, a cavern that knew no love or friendship, a pit that failed to understand happiness and longing, a hole that shied from kindness and compassion. Oogway had watched as the panda had numerous times tried to help Shen but the bird turned it away, the same way he'd fired the soothsayer. If his senses were right, then Po would succeed in his destiny to bring Shen out of his dark hole and accept the light that was inches from his reach.

Shen on the other hand, stared at the ground, his sight avoiding the tortoise's gaze. Deep down he knew that Oogway was right. After Po had saved him, he didn't know how to feel. In terms, he'd never guessed that his enemy would disobey his master in order to spare his life. _"No! I won't let myself be tricked by this old fool's deceit!"_ he thought bitterly. The petals of the tree began to once more swirl around him, getting faster and faster the more they flew through the air. With curiosity, Shen watched as they slowly surrounded Oogway, seemingly hiding him from Shen.

"I must go now," Oogway said, a sad smile on his wise face. "Take care Shen and I'll see you again. And one last thing, if you truly want to find inner peace then perhaps talking to the panda may guide you. My student Shifu learned from him and it had a great impact on his life. Maybe it will do you some good."

And with that last word, the tortoise began to dissolve into peach tree petals that glowed like golden honey and flew off into the breeze leaving Shen all by himself. Soon, as if he was dropped back into reality, Shen's eyes popped open, settling on the cold, stone wall of the cave. The sweet fumes of the world and its comforting warmth all gone. Glancing back at Po, Shen saw the panda curled into a tight ball.

 _"Why do I care again?"_ Shen asked himself. Stealing one more gaze, Shen turned away once more and dozed off into a dreamless slumber.

…

 **I really hoped you liked this chapter because I had a lot of fun writing it. I hope my Oogway was wise enough. I was inspired by some other fanfics who included Oogway dream sequences I hope that you all found it pleasant. I will try for a quicker update but no promises with mid terms coming up. Anyways, that's all for now and I'll see you next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Don't own KFP

 **I'm so sorry that this came out so late. I had my school concert and midterms. With Christmas break now upon me, I will have more time to write. Review and enjoy!**

…

Dawn peeked over the large, snow topped mountains, flooding the little cave with a shower of endless rays of sunlight. For Po, it was no big deal; being a heavy sleeper, who loved warm weather it was no surprise for someone to find him sleeping on the floor when there was good opportunity. Shen on the other hand, absolutely hated it. He was a rather light sleeper and his dream with Oogway had raised so many questions that he hardly bothered with clouding his mind with thoughts.

Cracking open his eyes, Shen squinted as the light shined into his eyes. Standing up and stretching his wings, he felt unnaturally different. Most of his pain had dissolved and he noticed that his train was almost fully grown. _"Impossible,"_ he breathed. There was no way he could've healed overnight but thinking back, he remembered his dream. Oogway had wished to help him and he recalled being restored to full health and glory. It might be possible that the old tortoise had decided to help him. But why? What help did he deserve. His parents hated him, the soothsayer hated him, Po and the Furious Five hated him, all the citizens of Gongmen City hated him, his wolf and gorilla army feared him.

Walking over to the panda, he gave him a hard jab with his talons. "Wake up you, _stupid_ panda! We have to get moving!" Shen had intentionally sounded harsh; he had to make sure that the panda knew who was in charge. Sitting up, Po gazed back at the white peacock. "We have all day," Po yawned, "but if you insist then let's hit the road!" Po's sudden enthusiasm and eagerness to get going frightened Shen; what did it take to crush this panda?! He watched as Po sprung up and jumped around, like he was getting ready to go into battle. "Quit fooling around! You're wasting my time!" Po gave him a goofy grin before charging down the path, leaving Shen.

Shen sprinted after the panda who was already panting for air near the edge of a small cliff. "Tired yet?" he mocked. "You didn't even wait for me!" Po chuckled. "You said that we had to get moving and I was just following your orders." Shen's train flared. Did this panda take everything as a joke? If only he had his cannons, they'd secure Shen's place as leader.

Po stopped laughing when he noticed Shen's train. "Hey, wait a minute. When did your train grow back? You look much better."

"Did you just notice this?" Shen asked with frustration.

Po could tell that something had happened to the peacock overnight; he was a lot calmer but there was something greatly bothering him. "H-h-how is that possible?"

"I honestly don't know," Shen replied, "I had this dream you see…" He stopped. Why was he telling the panda, his enemy, something this personal to begin with? Shen shoved Po aside, "it's not important. We must get moving."

Po looked up at him. Shen was acting very odd today. What could he have dreamt of that was able to heal him? Quickly getting up, Po raced after the peacock calling out to him to slow down. He continued to run until he saw Shen standing at the entrance of a great bridge that connected to cliffs, both with nasty drops should one fall. Shen's chest rose with fear. His crest flattened at the arrival of Po. He thought he'd lost the panda. "I'm not crossing that," he declared. "You kinda have to," Po told him, "besides, we will be free of mountains on the other side." Shen growled and placed one foot on the rickety bridge. "I will go first and then you," he stated. "That way you won't kill us." Po looked down but gave a slight nod. Shen smirked and proceeded to cross the bridge.

It shook under his weight, threatening to snap at any moment. Taking careful steps, Shen eventually made it to the other side, shaking his feathers out. A loud thud was heard behind him as Po landed smack on his face. "What happened to you panda?" "Running… is not the best… choice when it… comes to crossing… bridges," he panted. _"You think?!"_ Shen thought bitterly as Po got up and brushed himself off. "So where to now?" Shen asked the panda who was standing quietly off to the side. "Uh, that way," Po said gesturing to the road that lay in front of him, clearly not sure of where to go. Shen slapped his wing against his head but continued to follow the panda. One way for another, he was going to get through this adventure alive.

The pair continued their journey in silence for hours through the harsh environment; the hot sun and the many trees only made it even more like a jungle. "I'm starving!" Po announced. Shen groaned loudly and turned to the panda. "We've been out for a few hours and your already hungry?" he snapped, his train rising threateningly. Po shut his mouth as he saw Shen's angry face. "You really should be sorry for all you've put me through!" he added. Suddenly Po raised his head and grabbed the peacock's beak. "Quiet!" he hissed, "I hear something." Shen was about to protest when a loud rustle was heard behind them.

Po froze, not making a movement. Without notice, a large wolf leapt onto his back, gripping into the soft flesh with his sharp claws. Po yelled in pain and reached back to grab the wolf but a second one attacked from the front, followed by 3 more. "Shen!" Po called, "help me!" Shen just stood their and was about to turn and leave but he couldn't. "Shen!" Po yelled once more. He was beginning to get overwhelmed; two wolves were attached to his back while the other three all took turns kicking and punching his belly and face. The wolves all had Po on his knees when a sixth wolf entered the picture, a large hammer on his back. He had been watching the fight from the bushes with fascination.

"Ah, the dragon warrior, a pleasure to meet you here," he addressed the panda.

"Who ever you are, you're about to face my fists of justice!" Po declared. Shen had hold back a chuckle. The panda had a knack for making the least threatening threats.

"We shall find out, won't we?" the wolf asked, howling with laughter. He strode forward, gripping his hammer in his hands. As for Shen, he simply watched. But a voice called out to him in the back of his mind. _"He saved you!"_ it said. _"Repay the favor!"_ It sounded strangely like Oogway's. Without thinking Shen leapt in front of the hammer, a horrible pain entered his skull. The peacock was roughly thrown aside, blood pooling from the wound. Using this as a distraction, Po attacked the wolves, knocking them out with his strong fists and precise kicks. The lead wolf hissed and snarled, leaping at Po with his hammer ready to strike. "Get ready to feel the fury!" Po announced. The wolf swung hard, grazing the panda's head. He whirled around but met a punch in the face. Whimpering, he dropped his hammer and ran off.

Po smiled with satisfaction and ran over to Shen, scooping the peacock up into his arms and began looking for shelter. Running through the dense wilderness with a limp bird in his arms, Po panicked. There was no where to spend the night and with bandits probably all around them, he'd have no chance in saving Shen. The clouds covered up the moon, casting a dark shadow over the land. _"There's got to be a town nearby!"_ Po thought to himself. His fur was stained with Shen's blood and he staggered under his weight. Shen, especially with his train which brushed the ground, was very heavy. At last, he'd found a small town, a few lights still lit.

Po ran into the town, crying for help. But no one answered. Shen stirred in his arms, sighing loudly. Po frantically looked for more help; if Shen died, then he'd be a failure. Finally, a young sheep came out and saw the panda. Shen approached cautiously, her eyes wide. "Excuse me," she whispered, "do you need some help?" Po's face lightened up as the sheep lead him into her home. "Don't worry Shen," Po assured him, "you're going to be ok now."

…

 _"Inner peace, inner peace,"_ Oogway thought as he sat on his little island, surrounded by cool, clean water and shaded by his beloved peach tree. He'd thought a lot about his conversation with Shen, the white peacock and heir to the throne of Gongmen city. The bird was more troubled then he'd first imagined. Ever since Po's first encounter with him, Oogway noticed that there was pain in the peacock's life; like something had been snapped and never reconnected. Oogway knew exactly what that missing link was, love. His chat with Shen had only solidified his belief. After departing from Shen, Oogway decided to meditate on this.

A sudden shake in the earth shook the tortoise out of his concentration. He looked around, blinking with astonishment when he didn't notice anything. He was about to return to his meditation when a jade blade shot up and landed in the soft dirt in front of him, followed by a haunting laugh. Standing up, Oogway waited for his foe to appear and announce himself.

A large yak leapt up and landed firmly on the ground, swinging his other blade in large circles to give off the vibe that he was menacing. "Kai?" Oogway gasped. It couldn't be. "Greetings old friend," the large yak responded with a smirk. "Are battle ended 500 years ago, you have no business here," Oogway replied. "Oh, I believe I do," Kai told him. "I have collected chi from many other masters here," he exclaimed proudly, running his hoof through his several jade amulets hooked on to his belt. "No," Oogway said sadly. "Now, it's your turn old man," Kai replied, smiling cruelly while grabbing his blades and preparing to fight. "When I have your chi, I shall be free to take the world for my own!" Kai declared. Oogway kept a careful eye one him, watching for the slightest change in movement. If Kai could suck people's chi away from, especially if the person was a master, then there was no telling what his fighting skills have advanced to now.

Throwing his chained blade, Kai grabbed Oogway and pulled him forward but the tortoise struck back, freeing himself and waiting for the next attack. The yak made numerous attempts to grab Oogway but failed until he succeeded and wrapping both blades tightly around him. "Don't be afraid," he said, "soon, your world will be mine!" He laughed and his eyes glowed jade green as he sucked the last of the tortoise's chi and disappeared to the mortal realm. The peach tree, from her master's abduction, turned a sickly brown and died.

…

 **Not the best chapter I know. I've been really stressed so sorry if it's a bit rushed. Next chapter will be better. Thanks for reading and review please.**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Don't own KFP

 **Chapter 5 is finally up. I know I introduced Kai last chapter but we'll get to him in chapter 6. This chapter will be much better than the last one. Thank you for reading and please review and enjoy.**

…

Memories flashed through his head; the pain seemingly never ceasing. Warmth surrounded his body so where was he. He felt like he was being smothered by flames. Maybe this was Hell. He'd certainly never get to paradise; not after what he did. There was no denying it. However, all he heard was soft voices around him. Opening his eyes, he saw a young adult sheep fixing blankets for him, carefully arranging them so he'd be all safe and warm.

"How are you dear," the sheep's light voice asked. "You had quite a bump on your head." Shen glared at her, his red orbs glued to her blue ones. Seeing his angry face, she quickly turned and left. Shen heaved a great sigh before sitting up and examining himself; besides some dirt on his feathers and robe, he was overall fine. His head though, was another issue. It hurt terribly and Shen longed to lie back down and sleep. But he couldn't do it. That would show weakness and he wouldn't show that to the panda.

Slowly climbing out of his warm bed and onto the cold, wooden floor, Shen took several steps forward before he nearly fell and hit the ground. He was more hurt then he thought. Deciding not to risk it, Shen made his way back to his bed and fell back asleep.

…

Downstairs, Po sat with the sheep. She had a daughter of her own and her husband was out of town working. "I can't describe how thankful I am for your help," Po said, a smile on his face.

"My pleasure," she replied. "You look familiar."

Po stared at her. "I don't think we've met," he responded nervously.

"Of course!" she said, "the Dragon Warrior! There's a poster of you in town saying that you saved China."

"That's… awesome!" Po exclaimed, jumping up and down. "I bet it displays my awesomeness! What am I doing? Beating Tai Lung? Or Lord Shen? Maybe me with the Furious Five taking out a bunch of bandits! That would be so awesome!" Honestly, Po was astonished how fast news traveled. It had been several days and now all of China knew of his accomplishments. He couldn't wait to tell the others when he got back to the Jade Palace with Shen.

The sheep chucked. He was certainly very excitable. "Yes, you are quite popular Dragon Warrior. Who is the stranger you have brought? If you don't mind me asking."

Po stopped and looked at her. "If you don't freak out I'll tell you."

"You can count on me," the sheep said with a smile.

"Ok," Po replied, "the person I have brought is Lord Shen."

The sheep gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. "L-Lord Sh-Sh-Shen?" she breathed. "I thought he was dead!"

"Me too," Po admitted. "But I found him floating in the wreckage after our battle. He was gravely injured and the masters of Gongmen City imprisoned him. Later, we learned that Shen would be taken into custody at the Jade Palace. I was sent to fetch him. Along our way, we ran into these wolf bandits. They all attacked me but then Shen stepped in to save me and was hit by the leader as a result."

The sheep sat in silence as she tried to absorb all of this. "But everyone said he was a merciless killer who took what he wanted without second thought. He's dangerous."

"He still has some of his merciless traits but he's not dangerous anymore," Po said, "he told me that he had this dream. I think that somehow has affected his actions and thoughts. Maybe it changed some of his original desires."

"I hope your right." The sheep went to say something else but a scream was heard from upstairs, interrupting her thoughts.

…

Shen's mind was reliving some of his worst experiences, his parents' neglect, his banishment, the cold-blooded murder of his only friend turned minion, the giant cannon nearly crushing him, death just inches from his grasp. The pain in his head wasn't as intense but that excuse his nightmares. Oogway's suggestion of talking to Po and finding inner peace still lingered in the back of his mind. After all he'd been through, it seemed like a good option, if he'd live to see that day come of course.

Desperately trying to snap out of his horror- stricken mind, he woke up and felt a tugging on his feathers. "Pwetty feathers," a child said, holding them tight. "I like feathers. Fwuffy!" Shen seethed in rage at the child. No one except him ever touched his train. "Child! What do you think you are doing?" he questioned. The little sheep let go in surprise and backed up. "I'm sorry mister," she said. "They were so pwetty and fwuffy." "Did know one every teach you any manners? It is rude to touch something that isn't yours. Begone!" Shen snarled back. The sheep, afraid for life against the giant peacock that loomed over her began to cry and scream loudly.

Footsteps were heard on the staircase and in barged Po and the other sheep. The mother scooped up her baby and stared in horror back at the bird, whose large train had risen, creating a frightful display of anger and fear. "I thought you said he wasn't dangerous," the sheep said. "I meant that he can't hurt people physically," Po replied sheepishly as he went up to Shen. "What are you doing?" he asked him. "That _thing_ thinks she has the audacity to do whatever she wants. She layed her dirty hands on my magnificent train." "She was just curious," the sheep said, hugging her daughter tightly and shielding her vision from Shen. "She's never seen a peacock before, let alone white one."

Shen was now extremely offended. "A white peacock. So that's what this is all about," he replied, his voice sinking to a dangerously soft level. "Typical of people. You know what they say, bad color, bad omen. It wasn't my fault that I was born this way. The day I was born; my parents were horrified. Thinking something had gone dreadfully wrong."

Po stood there, his jaw hanging open. Where was this coming from? Shen never opened up to anyone. Inside however, he was jumping with joy; he'd been right all along. Shen was hiding suppressed memories and now they were coming back to haunt him. All those times when he'd seen the pain in his eyes, they were Shen trying to block out past experiences that forever plagued his mind But Po never thought that the peacock would break out of his shell this soon, especially not in front of a stranger or him.

Staring at everyone in rage and pain, Shen regained his sanity and lowered his train. He took a deep breath and turned away, trying to not think about anything at the moment. He actually didn't know what to think anymore; he'd just shown his greatest enemy part of the reason why he was never happy. He heard a door close behind him and looked over his shoulder, Po and the two sheep had left.

Seeing the little sheep's mom so protective and caring of her young one made him extremely jealous. His parents hated him, they always did. Ever since he was a child, they only regarded him a bad omen, an extra mouth feed, a weakling unfit to rule Gongmen City.

He lay back down in his bed, pulling the covers over his feathers. Tears came to his eyes. He had no idea why but maybe it had to do with what he had just witnessed. Shen was very confused. Trying to go to sleep, the statement he'd made about his parents that they were horrified of him brought up a rather unpleasant memory…

 _It was a cloudy day in Gongmen City, the royal family were busy as usual while their young son Shen was out playing with his nanny, the Soothsayer. This was a time before the peacocks had invented fireworks. The ruler, Lord Yuan had been making plans for years about how he could invent something that would make Gongmen City special until the end of its days. His wife, Lady Mei Li had given birth to a healthy son that they named Shen, meaning deep thought. Despite the joy they had from a healthy chick, they were still deeply troubled. Shen had white feathers and it was always said that a bad color could only mean a bad omen. In order to hide his embarrassment, Yuan often pretended that his son had never existed. It was only until Shen was roughly 10 years of age when the Soothsayer had lectured him and Mei Li in front of a large audience that Shen had tried to run away because he felt unloved and that they needed to be better parents. This caused even greater humiliation for both rulers and they began to devote themselves to raise their son like loving parents. Just like the Soothsayer had predicted, they realized that they shouldn't judge by Shen's color and grew to love very deeply and in return, he grew to love him back._

 _One incident occurred when Shen was out playing. The Soothsayer had forgotten something so she went to fetch it, leaving the tiny peachick by himself. While Shen mostly kept to himself anyways, he still longed for a friend his age to play with. The Soothsayer made a great companion for talking but not for a friend a child could grow up with. While he was sitting by himself, watching the other children play with each other, a band of wolf cubs came over. "Hey," one said, "what's with your funky color?" "There's nothing wrong with my color. My nana says that we're all unique," little Shen responded, barely looking up at the cub who spoke to him. The cub burst out laughing. "You mean that old goat?" he asked through fits of laughter. "She's not an 'old goat' so don't call her that," Shen replied, fear building up in his chest. "You know, I heard this saying, my mama told me. She said bad color, bad omen. That's because the son of the royal family is the wrong color." Tears started to gather in Shen's eyes. "I am not the wrong color!" he told the wolf, looking at him straight in the eye. The cub and his friends smirked. "I think that this peacock needs to learn a thing or two about messing with a wolf," the cub said. "Get 'em boys." The wolves took turns using Shen as a punching bag whilst chanting "bad color, bad omen" over and over until the little peacock broke free and ran back to his home._

 _When he got home, Shen sprinted through the doors and frantically looked for his nana. Instead, he found him mother, Lady Mei Li. "Mama!" he cried, running forward. Mei Li however simply stared at him. "Honey, what are you doing here and where is your nana?" Shen froze, he hadn't expected this reaction. Sure, she had ignored him in the past but with him in pain, he thought that maybe she'd try to help; she'd help any other child. "Shen dear, I'm terribly late for a meeting. Go find you nana and we can talk later." With that final word, she hurried off, leaving Shen by himself. He stood there, feeling unwanted and unloved. The fact that she couldn't even try to help by waiting with him for the Soothsayer broke his little heart._

 _The sound of a door opening and the rush of footsteps made him turn around to find nana, standing there, out of breath but relieved. "Nana!" "Shen!" He ran into her arms, embracing her tightly. She held him close, running her hands through his feathers, a tear escaping her eye. She thought that she lost him. "Oh, Shen. My baby. What happened to you? I was worried sick. Come with me. Let's get you cleaned up and we can talk about it." Shen nodded and held her hoof as they went to his chambers where she cleaned up his feathers and put band aids on all of his wounds._

 _"What happened?" she asked gently. "You left and these wolf cubs came over. They-they started to make fun of my color." Tears stained his cheeks as he continued. "I told them that my color wasn't bad and then they started to beat me. I ran back home, looking for you but found mama and…" He trailed off. "Shh, my dear," the Soothsayer said. She knew what he would say next. "Mama didn't have time for me" or "Mama said we can talk about it later." That woman didn't understand that when your own son needs you, you be there for him, even if it interferes with yours schedule. "Why do they hate me?" Shen asked while he snuggled in her arms. "Who," she asked even though she knew exactly who he was talking about. "Mama and Daddy."_

 _"They love you dear," she said, "they're just afraid that if something bad happens, they don't want to suffer the pain." The words sounded so selfish but that was the plain and simple truth. "You mean, if I do something wrong, they don't want the blame?" he questioned. The Soothsayer said nothing, instead she embraced him tighter. "I'll talk to them my dear. Shen, I want you know that you are loved very much. Don't ever think that no one loves you. There will always be someone out there who loves you. Do you understand?" "Yes Nana," he whispered. "Good," she whispered and the two continued to hold each other, allowing the pain to slip away and let the healing begin._

…

 **I hoped you enjoyed this chapter because I enjoyed writing it and it is the longest so far. I also purposely misspelled a few words for the sake of trying to create a little kid like little sheep. I hope enjoyed this chapter and please review. Kai will come back next chapter. I don't know how long this fanfic will be but I'm trying to get in at least 10 chapters. That's one of my goals.**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Don't own KFP

 **First time I updated quicker than usual. Since I am on winter break right now, I'll have plenty of time to write. I really hope that you enjoy this chapter. I personally think that it's one of the better ones. Thanks for reading and review!**

…

Kai woke up, the sun bearing down on him. Sitting up, he looked around his new environment. Where was he? His last memory was finally making it to the mortal realm before everything went dark. Scanning the area, Kai came the conclusion that he had succeeded in his mission about returning to the mortal realm. This world certainly didn't look like the spirit realm at all. Yes, he had done it. Getting up and brushing himself off, he noticed that he was in a dense forest but to his relief, a small village lay ahead of him. If he had come from the spirit realm, surely his jade amulets were still by his side. Glancing at his side he checked to make sure that they were still there. It had taken him along time to hunt down and capture all those masters. If he lost them, he would've been super angry but, to his joy, they were still there and a new one had joined his collection.

In his hooves, he held up to his face, a tortoise shaped amulet. "Oogway," he said with relish, running his hand over his smooth design. This would be his special amulet, it signified that he was the most powerful being in all of China, maybe the world. "I've got a special place for you." He hung the amulet around his neck so everyone could see just how strong he was. Many people knew the great power of Oogway and now he had proof that someone was better than that old tortoise. The power he'd received from his new addition had only enhanced his greatness. Spotting the village, he knew that this would be a great place to start looking for more chi.

Walking into the village full of pride and ambition, Kai observed the area. Many of the people sensed that something was rather off with this stranger from the amulets he carried and the sinister look in his eyes. They all kept a good amount of distance from him. He smiled as no one tried to stop him. This would be easier than he thought. To his disappointment, there were no masters with chi here, only pigs, geese and timid bunnies. Deciding to continue to the Jade Palace, Oogway's home and safe haven Kai prepared for his departure. Just as he was about to leave, a poster caught Kai's eye. The poster showed Po saving the world and all his accomplishments. _"A panda?"_ he thought to himself. _"That's impossible!"_ Kai knew just how much chi that a panda had. He remembered watching their brilliant power unfold when he came to them with an injured Oogway, begging for help. "Tell me," he said to scared citizen, his jade eyes glowing a sinister green, "where can I find this panda?"

…

The next morning, Po and Shen departed from the house and village, on their way to the Jade Palace in the Valley of Peace. The sheep, still fearing for her life because of Shen, only spoke to Po. "It should take two days' time from here," she said, "here is some food for the trip. Take care." "Thank you, kind sheep," Po replied with a smile and he and Shen left.

Po and Shen mostly walked in silence with the occasional comment about something from Po. He took notice that Shen's head injury had not full healed. Every 10 minutes or so, the peacock would stop and close his eyes, like he got dizzy or light-headed. Po never asked him about it though, he was too worried that Shen would snap at him for his stupidity or something like that. He was very eager though to ask him about that outburst he had back at the house last night. Po had never seen Shen act this way before and he was very curious to crack through the bird's stubborn outer shell which concealed all his painful memories.

"Hey, Shen?" Po asked suddenly without really thinking, "can I ask you something?"

"Ask away," Shen responded irritably, clearly not in the mood to talk but Po was determined for answers.

"What happened in there? I mean, everything was fine until you burst out like that. Any reason why? I don't mean to be pushy. I just want to understand."

Shen thought of what Oogway had told him about talking to Po. "It's getting late," he replied, "let's set up camp and maybe, if I feel like it, I'll tell you."

"Ok!" Po said a bit to enthusiastically. He earned a look of Shen and immediately went to find fire wood.

After a warm fire was lit, Shen gazed into Po's jade green eyes. "You wouldn't understand if I told you," he managed to say.

"Try me," Po challenged, a playful grin on his face but went serious after seeing the peacock's hurt expression.

"When I was child, my parents hated me." Po could see how much pain was in the bird's face when he said that.

"That's not what I was told," he told him.

"The Soothsayer would've told you that. They eventually grew to love me. When they did, it brought joy to the whole city. Everyone noticed how much happier they seemed. It wasn't always that way though."

"Then why did they…" Banish you was what Po was about to say but he held back.

"They feared me!" Shen's voice raised. "Because of what I did. I knew then and there that they never truly loved me. I told you that you wouldn't understand."

Po watched sadly as the peacock made this statement. "What if they did it to protect you?" he asked.

"Protect me?!" Shen scoffed. "Why would they do that?"

"Because they still love you."

"Are you out of your mind Panda? My parents are dead because of me! They hate me. They always did and they still do."

"How can you be so sure?" Po asked.

"Ever since I was born, they hated me. White means death! A bad omen. They were just waiting for me to mess up. Everyone in Gongmen City knew. How the son of their leaders was a deformed accident waiting to happen," Shen snapped back fiercely.

"There are no accidents," Po replied, remembering what Oogway had told him when he didn't believe that he could become the dragon warrior.

"No accidents, huh?" Shen said. "Well, what would you call my existence?"

"Fate, maybe destiny," Po responded.

"So, it was destiny that led to the atrocity that I committed?"

Po said nothing and Shen continued, "it was fate that you defeated me?"

"No," Po replied. "It was fate that brought us together, "it was destiny that we are now sitting here, talking like old friends."

"You seem very entitled to that opinion," Shen told him.

"A wise friend of mine, Master Oogway always said that there is no such thing as accidents."

"Oogway," Shen echoed, slightly annoyed that Po had repeated himself. "I've met him before, in a dream."

" _So that's why he seems different now,"_ Po thought.

"What did he tell you?"

"He recommended I talk to you."

Po blinked in surprise. "Well, that explains why you aren't so angry with me anymore."

"Don't think that this changes anything between us Panda," Shen replied. "You wanted to know why I got upset, you got your answer." Shen then turned away, fanning his train in Po's face.

"Hey, Shen?" Po said, trying to get more answers from him, "I know exactly what you mean, you know, about your parents."

Intrigued by this, Shen perked up and turned to face Po once more.

"Before I knew the truth of what happened, I was attacked by your wolves. When I saw the lead wolf's symbol, all I saw was my mom placing me in a crate and leaving. Up until the Soothsayer told me of the attack, I thought that my real parents too hated me and didn't want me anymore. That's why I thought they left me when I was only a baby."

Shen had recalled seeing the pain in the panda's eyes when he lied to him and said that Po's biological parents never loved him. Back then, it made Shen happy to the panda suffer when he heard those words. "Well, I'm glad you know the truth," was all he could manage.

Po smiled in return. For him, it was all making sense now; when Shen told him that his parents didn't love him, the peacock was really trying to express his pain by making Po feel pain. It was a cover up for his own suffering. Up till now, Po thought that the peacock was a sadistic bird who enjoyed other's pain because it entertained him. With the truth revealed, Po could only feel sorrow and pity for him. If Shen couldn't be happy, then no one could.

Absorbing in all of this, the peacock announced that he was tired and he needed to go to sleep. Using his train like a fan, he put out the fire and nestled down, thinking about the conversation he'd just had. Maybe the panda wasn't so bad or stupid after all. Sighing, he tried to go to sleep. His dream with Oogway had really influenced him more than he thought. Come to think of it, he never got to thank the tortoise for his help. Next time Shen saw him, he planned to tell him.

Po, on the other hand, could only think of what Shen had told him about his parents. It seemed too unreal to be true. Shen had everything he ever wanted, a loving family, a home, riches beyond Po's wildest dreams. But after hearing the bird out, Po figured that because he looked different, the peacock was often regarded as something that could wait. After all, it would be absolute humiliation for the greatest people in Gongmen City to have something as abnormal as Shen. Po hated thinking that but, it was probably what happened; no one had ever seen a white peacock before and usually, a bad color meant bad omen. That was something Po had heard a lot growing up. He disliked the claim since it would discriminate against those who had that specific coloring. Naturally being fair, Po knew that it wasn't always true. Deciding to put the matter to rest, he lay down on the soft ground and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Shen couldn't stop thinking of what Po told him, about his parents. Oogway did tell him that he and Po had more in common they he thought. Maybe this is what he meant, that they had similar pasts and experiences and that could help each other. He still had yet to reveal his full past to the panda though. As far as the panda knew, his parents were embarrassed for him. Shen never told him about all the times others bullied him and how it was the Soothsayer who'd come to his rescue. But that was a story for another day. Drifting off into a comforting sleep, Shen thought about Po's claim about how fate brought them together. _"Could the panda be on to something?"_ he wondered.

…

 **TBH, I am proud of this chapter. I finally got some Shen/Po bonding in there. For Kai's part of the story, I'm trying not to rush it. I hope that I can build up to this amazing climax featuring Po, Shen, Shifu and the rest of the Furious Five. Please review and I hope that you enjoyed it. I'll see you in the next chapter! Also, let me know if there's any specific character or characters you want to see show up. I'm always open for new ideas.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Don't own KFP

 **Sorry this came out so late. I was very busy with my school work and didn't have time to work on it. My midterms are almost over so I should have some more free time to get another chapter done. I apologize for the delay and thank you for being patient. Enjoy and please review!**

…

Surprisingly, both Shen and Po made it through the night without much trouble. Po slept like a bear while Shen was having an internal battle; part of him agreed with Po and was willing to listen to him but another side warned him that Po was still his enemy. As the sun rose, Shen felt much better; like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He guessed that Po's and Oogway's influence over him were taking control of his thoughts and actions.

He heard a soft stir behind him and Po woke up. "Did you sleep well?" Po asked yawing with a big grin on his face. Shen softly smiled in return. "Fine," he replied. Po beamed. "We're almost at the Jade Palace. We should get going." "Then let's go!" Po exclaimed and took off running, Shen behind him.

…

At the Jade Palace, Shifu was beginning to get to nervous; Po had gone for nearly 4 days now. It usually took about two days at most to get to Chorh-Gom and back. Many different scenarios filled his head. Did he get lost? Captured? _Killed?_ No, Shifu would've known that something was wrong if Po was killed. Maybe he was injured. Or perhaps he was at the mercy of Shen. "Master," a kind voice said.

"Tigress!" Shifu replied with surprise as she walked over to him.

"Are you ok?" Concern filled her face.

"Po. He's taking a bit longer."

"You know Po. I'm sure he's fine. He knows how to handle himself," Tigress reassured him.

"I hope you're right." Shifu sighed. Shen had nearly killed Po and Tigress could understand why he feared for the panda's safety. Keeping his hopes high, Shifu decided to meditate in a nearby cave. He knew that Po was not just an average warrior but his childish nature sometimes got the better of him and it caused to him to make some stupid decisions. Fortunately, when serious matters arose, Po could keep a level head and make very wise choices.

Tigress watched her master go, feeling some sympathy. She too missed Po very much; without him, she would've never gained a more light-hearted side. With Po, she had learned to laugh and care more. She loved Po more than anything and if Shen hurt him, that last thing the peacock would know was how cruel she could be. She prayed that Po, wherever he was right now, was safe and happy.

…

"Slow- slow down!" the peacock gasped, panting behind Po. "I thought you said that we should get going!" Po teased. Shen smiled. "You know what I meant." Po smiled back and slowed down to a walk, the bird trailing a few feet behind. Po noticed a lot of changes in Shen; first off, he was a lot happier, secondly, he seemed to tolerate the panda more and thirdly, Shen was able to open up more instead of keep all his anger to himself.

"Hey Shen?" Po asked him. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure," the peacock answered.

"Remember when we talked last night and you mentioned how everyone treated you differently? I do understand."

"Oh, really?" Shen replied. "I thought we had this discussion already."

"We did, but there was something I did not tell you."

"I'm listening."

"When I was kid, this one kid, his name was Pen Fang, always picked on me. He would hurt me and call me names. The worst part was, all the other kids would start to laugh with him. Every time I saw him, I only saw a giant monster coming at me and I couldn't stop it. You're not alone buddy."

"What makes you think that I had a hard time getting along with the other children?" Shen asked coldly.

"Because I can see it in your eyes," Po responded. "You may not like it, but ever since our final battle at the harbor, I've noticed that you seem to be in some kind of emotional turmoil and when we stayed at that sheep's house, you mentioned how it was typical of people to compare the color of your feathers with a bad omen. It was just something I picked up. I figured that you had some childhood issues. You talked about how your parents avoided you and I was just curious."

"I don't have any childhood issues! Drop the subject! Just because you had problems doesn't mean that I had any!" Shen retaliated.

"Shen, it's ok to talk to me. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Shen sighed. He knew that it was childish to overreact like he did. "When I was a child, the other kids liked to make fun of my color. They called it 'bad color, bad omen' and would often take turns beating me up. The soothsayer, _not_ my parents, would come to my aid. She was always there for me; even when I didn't want it."

Po replayed what Shen had said in his head. "I think that you're fine just the way you are Shen." "Really?" came the reply. "Yep." Po looked at him, the bird was awfully quiet. "That took courage to say that. I'm proud of you," he told the peacock. "Don't worry about it."

The pair continued to travel, the sun bearing down on them. "How much further?" Shen asked. His feet were hurting from walking for hours each day. "Shouldn't be too long. A few more hours I guess." Shen nodded.

If he was completely honest, he was very nervous about going to the Jade Palace. The residents there absolutely hated him. Even if he admitted that he was changing his ways as a result of being with Po, they wouldn't believe him anyway. And he didn't expect them to, especially not after what he did. Shen figured that the whole valley knew about him. What would they say? Think? They would surely wonder why he was with Po in the first place. Shen longed to go back home and be with the Soothsayer again, he wouldn't fit in with everyone else. Besides, what would _he_ say to citizens? That he was sorry? Shen didn't want to tell Po; he didn't feel like telling him that he wanted to turn back when they were this close.

"Aren't you excited?!" Po's eager filled voice broke Shen out of his thoughts. "Hey? Are you ok?" Shen's focus came back. "I'm fine," he responded. "You don't sound ok."

"Po? What if they don't accept me? After what I did. To you. To your friends. I won't fit in."

"Shen, you've changed, haven't you? Show them that there is good inside you. Just stick with me and you'll be fine."

"It's just that…" Shen trailed off.

"You don't fit in," Po finished. "I understand but you've got to prove to everyone that you can do this ok?"

"Ok," Shen agreed, still not fully convinced that things will go well.

"If it doesn't work out, we keep trying."

"Face, it Panda, it won't work."

"Never say never," Po responded light heartedly.

Shen knew that he was trying to get him to feel better but it wasn't going to work. The peacock was too afraid. The tiger, he didn't know her name, scared him the most though. He knew that one foot in the wrong direction would lead her to come after him and wouldn't stop until the bird was completely gone. In their previous battles, he could see just how much the supposed death of Po affected her. It hit her harder than anything else and back then, he enjoyed the suffering of others. He just hoped that she could find it in her heart to forgive him.

…

Kai was beginning to get tired; he'd been walking for hours and he still had no idea how much further it would take to get to the Jade Palace. He feared that if he kept using his chi power, he'd run out and then would be finished. But he had to find that panda. He was the key to Kai's success. _"Just think of all the power that he holds within himself! And he doesn't even know it!"_ Kai thought gleefully to himself. He fingered his Oogway amulet. This was, so far, his most prized amulet and he vowed to never use it. All the power that it held would make him nearly unstoppable. The only thing standing in his was that panda.

As he continued to travel, Kai went through many villages; all of them knowing of the great panda or as they liked to call him, the Dragon Warrior. Kai had never heard of such a silly name in all his life. _"Dragon Warrior! Hah. What was that old man thinking?"_ he thought. Well, he'd show this "Dragon Warrior" a thing or two. Kai doubted that the panda knew the first thing about chi.

…

"Almost there!" Po announced proudly. Shen rolled his eyes, the panda had been saying that for the past half hour and it was really starting to bug him. "Listen," the panda said, "if anyone tries to attack you, just find me, ok?" "What makes you think that I can't handle myself?" the peacock answered. Po froze. "It's just that uh, you are unarmed and that it wouldn't be fair." "You don't even fight with weapons." "Good point. End of discussion."

"Just because I'm not physically strong doesn't mean that I'm completely helpless."

"That came out all wrong."

"You think?"

"Look, I didn't mean- you know what I meant."

"I understand and I thank you for your concern."

The pair continued to go back and forth with each other until they heard shouting somewhere off in the distance. "Please! I'll give you my money. Here! Take it. Just don't hurt me!" "Someone's going to face my fist of fury!" Po told Shen excitedly.

They ran to the scene and saw a group of crocodiles. They carried swords and spears. The leader was covered in battle armor with a large axe. He held a small, timid bunny several feet off the ground and demanded her goods. "Give them to me now and, let me see? I won't hurt you!" "It's over there!" she said, pointing to a small bag. "See? That wasn't so hard now was it?" The crocodile cackled while he signaled his lackeys to search for the money. He put the bunny down but drew his axe as a precaution.

"Fung," Po whispered. "Who?" Shen asked. "Fung is the leader of those croc bandits. He's the guy with the axe." "What's your plan?" the bird asked. "Watch and learn," Po said, cracking his knuckles as he leapt out of his hiding place. Shen had never seen such a reckless move.

"Fung!" Po announced. "You better leave that bunny alone and you'll get to miss your appointment with my fist and feet of fury!"

"Po?" The crocodile sounded rather surprised but controlled his anger. "How's it been buddy. I got an idea. How about you go on your merry way and I'll take my goods and be on mine? Sounds good?"

"I'm afraid that isn't an option."

"Po. You know that I don't want to do this but you leave me with no choice. Guys, get him!"

"Hold it!" Shen emerged. Even if Po could handle himself, he wasn't going to sit around like he was some sort of helpless civilian.

"What are you doing?"

"Fighting beside you."

"Who's this newcomer? It doesn't matter. Get them!" Fung ordered.

The crocs all charged at once. Po was determined to keep Shen out of harm's way but he realized that the peacock really could handle himself. Shen used his giant tail to spin his enemies off their feet, grabbing a fallen spear and launching himself into the air, getting a good aerial view of the ground. Landing, he used his feet to restrain a croc long enough to knock his weapon away and send him scrambling away. Po and Fung both stood there, speechless at Shen's talent for fighting.

Using his train as a shield, Shen managed to catch another croc by surprise and had him running away as well. Seeing their inevitable defeat, the other crocs followed their buddies and took off, forgetting about Fung or the bunny. "You guys! Seriously? Darn it!" Fung shouted whilst throwing his helmet onto the ground. Po placed a hand on his shoulder. "Better luck next time," he said sympathetically. Fung managed a weak smile before running off after the rest of his band of bandits.

"Are you ok?" Po asked the bunny. "Yes, thank you," she said. "I was just leaving the village where the Jade Palace was and they attacked me. Demanded for my money." "Don't worry, you're safe now," Po assured her. "Thanks Dragon Warrior," she replied before gathering her belongings and continued down the path.

Po's gaze returned to Shen. "That was… AWESOME! How did you do that?" Po exclaimed rather loudly. "It's called cai li fo," Shen explained. "It involves using fans, or in this case, my tail, to attack and defend one's self. It's a great technique to use for distracting your opponent in order to get a good surprise attack." "Like what you did with that one bandit?" "Exactly."

Po was marveled at Shen's ability to use his tail to create such sleek and graceful movements; in fact, it hardly looked like he was fighting at all. It looked like he was simply defending himself and everyone else was fighting. It was incredible.

They walked in silence for roughly 10 minutes when at last, the Jade Palace came into full view, and it was stunning. "Welcome," Po said, a smile plastered on his face, "to my home."

…

 **My longest chapter yet. I hope that you guys enjoy it. Some might wonder why the heroes reach the Jade Palace before the villain but I promise it will lead to a hopefully good climax. Thank you and review.**


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